Children homelessness is alarming and often difficult to grasp phenomenon, especially when it comes to homelessness beyond institutional (Adamczyk, 2015). The study of this problem belongs to the most difficult, which is associated with both the problem of measurement and the difficulty in clearly defined of target audience.
In this article the most important issues related to children and youth homelessness will be presented. Using in-depth interviews, studied a group of 20 homeless children, living both in institutional facilities, and beyond, who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness in their life. The general research aim of this study was to determine the nature and the causes of the phenomenon of homelessness among the target group. The main thesis adopted throughout the project was that homelessness children is very different in its nature and is very ambiguous in the definition of the phenomenon. It means that studying of homelessness should take a very wide range of manifestations from overt beyond institutional homelessness to purposeful sleeping away from home. In the study apart from the interviews, including statistical data derived from official statistics conducted by the Central Statistical Office and social research from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy were used.
The research titled National Census of Population and Housing conducted every few years by Central Statistical Office (CSO) demonstrates that the estimated number of the homeless in Poland in 2011 amounted to approximately 24 000 people. The number of people included in the so-called I category of the homeless [1] amounted to about 9600, whereas in Podkarpackie Region it was 339 people (National Census…, 2012, p. 90). In the presented results, CSO informs about the increase in the number of homeless children up to 17 years of age, which indicates the growth of the number of homeless families (National Census…, 2012, p. 91; Population. Socio-demographic…, 2013, s. 129). As it ensues from the detailed research result of National Census of Population and Housing 2011, the number of people staying in homeless shelters and night shelters declined in 2011 about over 2000 compared to the data from 2002 (Population. Socio-demographic…, 2013, Table XX) [2]. Although this data can be optimistic, their thorough analysis indicates that the threat of homelessness in various groups increased and its new forms appeared (National Census…, 2012, p. 91; Population. Socio-demographic…, 2013, p.126) [3]. According to the census data, the number of children and the youth up to 19 years of age who remain homeless in 2011 amounted to 1790 in total – 150 of them belonged to the I category and 1640 to the II (Population. Socio-demographic…, 2013, Table 52). In the case of Podkarpackie Region, the number of people up to 29 years of age belonging to I category amounted to 10. There is no information on the number of people from this age group belonging to the second category of homelessness [4].
The people belonging to the so-called I category of the homeless in Poland constituted 6,9% of the total number of the homeless, whereas in the group of men it was 4,6% of the total number of homeless men, and in the group of women – as much as 15% of the total number of homeless women. The group of 1790 young people recorded as the homeless during the census comprised 50,83% of men and 49,17% of women. There were recorded 150 respondents in total in the I category of homeless people; men constituted 53,33%, and women – 46,67%. In the II category, men constituted 50,60% of the 1640 recorded people, and women – 49,40%.
The data analysis indicates that in the age group up to 19 years of age, likewise in the case of the number of the homeless in total, more people belong to the second category of homelessness. However, this percentage is almost 30% higher (amounts to 91,6%) than the percentage of homeless people categorised as those who have no place of residence, which can indicate that the so-called homelessness “without roof above the head” affects primarily people in the older age group (despite the fact that 150 people up to 19 years of age were recorded in the I category of the homeless). The data on the people belonging to the I category of the homeless indicate a worrying phenomenon of homelessness of young women. The percentage of young women up to 19 years of age belonging to the I category of the homeless is higher than in the case of young men (4,6% and 1,0% accordingly). It is disturbing in spite of the fact that the number of women in this age group who belong to the I category of the homeless is lower than the number of men. However, it can be a sign of worse social situation of young homeless women and of the fact that they are potentially more vulnerable to homelessness than men. Moreover, it is also the age of the homeless that causes worries, as it can indicate that the process of social stigmatisation starts earlier. Although the total number of homeless women is lower than men, basing on this data it can be concluded that women can become homeless earlier and later they cannot cope with it. This can also be inferred from the similarity of the proportions of women and men in this age group belonging to the II category of homeless people (92% and 91,5%, respectively). It can signify that young women and men who become homeless, at a later stage, “manage” their homelessness differently. If the phenomena of the homelessness of women and men were similar, these proportions would differ or would correspond to the age structure for the homelessness of men.
The analysis of the data also enables drawing the conclusion that homeless women up to 19 years of age belonging to the II category take advantage of social assistance for the homeless more frequently than men (18,7% of women and only 7,1% of men from the same age group). It can be related to more and more frequent cases of women staying in homes for single pregnant women or women with small children (61,8% of the total number of homeless women in all age groups).
According to the data of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy obtained from the nationwide count of homeless people in the night 7/8 February 2013, there is 1538 children who from various reasons have become homeless. An overwhelming majority of them – 1133 – were placed in institutional care such as shelters, homes for homeless people and supported accommodation flats. What can also be disturbing is the number of children staying outside care centres, i.e., in uninhibited houses or summerhouses, which, according to the presented statistical data amounted to 405 people. Unfortunately, due to lack of a similar analysis of the data from the previous homeless count it is not possible to determine to what extent and in which direction the number of homeless children has changed. Surprisingly, there is a great difference between the analyses of particular regions. The greatest number of homeless children was recorded in Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region (275), whereas in Podkarpackie Region only 15 homeless children were recorded. Moreover, all of them were placed in institutional care.
References:
[1] The first category comprises homeless people living on the street, in a public space without a shelter that could be considered a living quarter. This category primarily encompasses people who the evening and night at the critical moment of the census spend outside any institution functioning 24-hour. The second category of the homeless includes persons of no fixed abode, who often move between different types of collective accommodation (hostels, night shelters and institutions for the homeless).
[2] In 2002 there were recorded 13 997 people in total, who was staying in homeless shelters and night shelters, whereas in 2011 the number of such people amounted to 11 851.
[3] What is meant here is, e.g.,: 1) the increase in the number of homeless children of up to 17 years of age caused by the increase in the number of homeless families; 2) people considered homeless who e.g., stays in residential homes for single pregnant women or women with babies.
[4] The data presented by Central Statistical Office are prepared in different combinations, thus their complete comparison is impossible.
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